Printing mechanism for adding-machines.



J. G. LOTTERHAND.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ADDING MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FILED PEIB.3,1913.

1,092,497.. I Patented Apr; 7, 191 1 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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J. O. LOTTERHAND.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ADDING MACHINES.

APPLIQATION FILED rm.s.1913.

1,092,497., Patented Apr. 7, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jfc. LOTTERHAND.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ADDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3,1913.

1,69%A97. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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J. G. LOTTERHAND.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ADDING MACHINES.

APPLIOA'IION FILED Emma, 1913.

1,092,497. Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

4 sums-sum 4'.

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JASON C. LOTTERHAN UNITED STATES PATENT ornron.

1), OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB 1'0 ADDOMETER CORPORA- TION, A coaronarroN or DELAWARE.

PRINTING MECHANISM For. ADDING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, JASON C. Lo'rrEnHANn, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Mechanism for Adding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

- provide in an adding machine having the One of the objects of the present inven tion is to provide an improved form of means for printing the signals in an adding machine, that is efiected by the operation of simply depressing one of the signal keys, and the printing is accomplished at once before any movement whatever is given to the main operating handle or member of the machine. I

A further object of the invention is to provide in such a device, in connection with the total and sub-total keys, means whereby the mere depression of either of these keys will caus the signal to be at once printed, and before any movement of the operating member.

A further object of the invention is to usual set'of members known as rack and type plates, that serve to position the type plates for printing, improved means for accurately positioning or looking the type plates after they have been positioned to print, to eiiect the proper alinement of the type at the printin position.

Another object o the invention is to pro vide in an adding machine that operates both an adding and printing device, an improved means for permitting the operation of the adding mechanism, while the printing mechanism is prevented from printing.

In the accompanying drawings, representing one embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a plan view of a portion of an adding machine with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2. is a side elevation showing the signal keys and connected parts; Fig. 3 is a View of parts shown in Fig. 2, in other positions; Fig. 4. is an elevation showing the printing devices; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing the printing devices in other positions, and Figs. 6 and 7 show the means for lockin the rack and type plates in printing position.

It is cutomary in adding machines to provide in addition to the adding mechanism, means for printin on a suitable rec-' 0rd, the items as set up 1n the machine, and

It is further customary to have a special character or signal printed on the record ad acent the total, or the subtotal, or other ltem that may .be printed, to indicate its special character. One 'form of a character will be printed opposite the total, another form opposite a sub-total, and sometimes other characters'for items that are printed but not included in the sum and which do not afi'ect the adding mechanism. Also sometimes an item is included in a sum but it is not desired to print this item, when a certain character can be printed adjacent the blank space on the record.

In the form of machines at present in use, the printing of special characters, while it is usually automatic in its operation, is effected simultaneously with the printin of the several numbers to which they relate. Obviously, where a non-print signis used there is no rintin A efiectedj It has been found desira lile to 0 this printing entirely separate and distinct from the numeral printing mechanism of the machine, and

in the present invention such an operation takes place. these special signs is done when the special keys for such characters are depressed, and

not subsequently upon the movement of the handle or main operating member of the machine. To be specific, when either the total or sub-total key is depressed, or the non-add key or the non-print key, immediately this corresponding character is caused to print on the record, which operation is completed before any movement whatever is done by the main operating handle or mem ber of the mechanism.

The machine is shown as comprising a suitable base 2 with upright side plates 3 and 4 on each side,- and also a suitable casing 5;

At the rear is shown a platen 6 and in front .of the same are arranged a series of rack and t e lates 7 carryin a. set of ty e plunggr s 8 See Figs. 4-7. The rack aI id type plates are shiftable to bring any one of its type in position to print on the platen, and in front of each rack and type plate is arranged a hammer 9 that will strike the positioned type of its corresponding rack and type plate to eflect the impression .on the platen. By this means a row of figures will be printed in a horizontal line on a record sheet on the platen in the usual man- I also the total, and sometimes thei o l Furthermore, the printing of ner, and it is desirable to print the special ing hammer, these levers swmgmg on a character or signal adjacent this numeral, preferably at one side, such as the right hand side, as is done in the construction set forth herein.

The hammers 9 are shown as all mounted to turn on a cross shaft 10, see Figs. 4 and 5, suitably supported at each end, and each hammer is provided with an energizer lever 11 having contacts 12 and 13 for engage mentwith the rear. edge of the correspondstationary shaft 14, and retracted by a spring 15 at th'elowerend of the lever to swing the leverand to cause the hammer to strike, when the hammer has been retracted.

Cotiperating with each hammer is a trigger 16 mounted on a suitable shaft 17 to swing thereon to cause a hook 18 on each trigger-to engage a tip 19 connected with Fthe type carrier portion of the rack and {type plate when fable stop bar, fextension 26 is provided with a set of recesses 46, as indicated in Fig. 6, and a lock ;bar 47 is provided that will be advanced to ,engage one of these recesses just before the each hammer 9. The shaft .17 for the triggers, is mounted on a 'pair of swinging levers 20 fast on an operating shaft 21, by which the levers are swung to shift the position of the shaft l7'and thereby bodily move the triggers back and forth. A spring 22 connects each tri ger with a suitable fixed plate to swing t e triggers and bring the hook to engage the tip 19. But when the levers 20 move the shaft 17 rearward carrying the triggers back, an arm 23 on each trigger engages a stop bar 24 that will swing the triggers against the force of their springs and trip the hook from the tip.

en the triggers move the hammers away, they swing forward and place their ener gizer levers under tension, and when the triggers are thus tripped, the hammer will be released to strike.

Each rack and type plate 7 is provided with an extension 26 carrying a stop 27 normally engaging the top edge of the trigger 16 to hold the trigger down with its hook I below the tip of the coiiperating hammer so that when the rack and type plate is in this position, the rearward movement of the trigger by the swinging of the lever will not affect the hammer. But as soon as the rack and type plate rises the hammer will rise and cause the hook to engage the tip. The rack and typeplate is provided with a rack 30 on its front portion to-engage numeral wheels 31. At the foot of the rack and type plate is a stop 32 arranged toengage stop bars 33, as indicated in Fig. 7,

' universal bar the stop bars being connected with key stems 34 by means of a bent lever 35. At the rear of the rack and type plate at its foot is another lug 36 arranged to engage a 37 mounted on the side arms 200. When the shaft 21 is swung by means of an arm 38 connected with a side bar 39, the universal bar will permit the rack and'type bars to be elevated by spring 40. Each rack and type bar has suitable guides 41 and 42 Zably pivoted at 50, universal bar 37 at the final portion of its upward movement, whereby the swinging of these levers will move the bar 47 into one of known as the non-print operation.

plates move upward, and therefore sliding on posts 43, in which is placed the spring 40 that will elevate the rack and type plate when free to move upward. When the universal bar travels upward the rack and type plate will be thus drawn upward until its foot 32 engages a stop bar that may have been set by a key, when the rack and type plate is arrested with a type in the printing position opposite the hammer that corresponds with the key depressed. The side bar 39 is shown connected with a crank 40, fast on a crankshaft 41 operated by a handle 42. This shaft 41 connects shaft 21 'with the side bar 44.

In order to accurately position or lock it rises to engage a suit as indicated in Fig. 7, the

printing operation takes place. These reicesses are'spaced apart corresponding to the {exact position of the type so that when this ,bar enters a recess ibe precisionized and locked. The bar 47 is mounted on levers 48 and 49 at its end suitthe positioned type will the levers engaging the the notches just at the stage when the printing operation takes place. A spring 58 serves to return the arms and bar as soon as the universal bar begins its return movement, and they engage a suitable stop pin 51 to hold the bar out of the path of the rack bar extension.

cans are also provided for preventing operation of the printing hammers, when the rack and type plates are elevated to extends across the machine and carries on the opposite side a crank 43, see Fig. 2, that operates a side bar 44 similar to the ;side bar 39. A crank 45 actuate the adding mechanism, which is InFig. 4 is shown a bar 52 carried by a pair ably pivoted levers 53, that lie on top of the triggers 16. This bar is normally free so that the triggers will not be thus interfered arm 54 connected with one of these triggers, extends to the rear and is provided with an ear 55 arrangedto be engaged by a stop arm 56 mounted on a rock shaft 57 suitably supported at the rear of .the machine and extending beyond the left side plate 3.. In the position shown in Fig. 5 the stop 56 will hold bar 52 engaging the triggers and prevent their rising when the rack and type the triggers will not swing and trip any of the hamof suit with in their upward movement. But an,

Loaaasm of the machine, is arranged a bar 60 ivoted at its rear to a crank 61 fast on t e said shaft 57. A slotted link 62 connects the crank 61 with the crank 45by a pin'63 thereon. This bar 60 is pulledrearwardly by a coil spring64 that will serve to rock the shaft 57. The link 62 serves to swing the crank 61 to return the bar 60 on the forward movement of the side bar 44 by the operating handle in the normal operation of the e 0 whereby the bar will have the lug 59 disengage the pin 66, thereby permitting the spring 64 to draw the bar rearward; the latter movement is limited by a stop 69v on the bar. A third key 70 which may be the non-add key, is vertically slidable to have its stop 71 engagethe bar 60 to swing it and release it from the stop 66; and the rearward movement is limited by a suitable stop 72. Thus the stops of the keys 67 and 70 are relatively positioned whereby the latter will permit a greater rearward movement of the bar 60; it being understood that the depression of the key 65 will not permit any rearward movement of the bar. A fourth key 7 3 is shown that may be the non-print key, having a stop 74 arranged to strikethe bar and swing it down to disengage the stop 66". But no limit abutment is provided for the stop 74, whereby the bar 60 can be so moved rearward. its full distance. It will be understood that these four keys will each swing tlie bar downward, and that three of them will permit rearward move-' ment of the bar for different distances, re spectively, while the fourth key will not permit rearward movement. When the bar has been shifted rearwardly, the next operationof the operating member and crank 45 will cause the link 62 to swing the bar 5o. forward again, causing the cam stop 59 to reengage the stop 66 to lock the-bar in its normal forward position. It will be understood that the operation of any one "of these keys 'will shift the bar 60 rearward to rock 5'5-the shaft a different distance. When the non-print key is depressed the shaft will be rocked its maximum distance, and this will be effective to move the stop arm 56 rearward a maximum distance to lock the arm 60 54 and lock the triggers out of position for engagement with the hammers.

At the right side of the described rack and type plates is a printing plate 76 carrying fourtype, a, b, c, and d, see Fig. 4, that can be brought opposite the printlng position onthe platen. This carrier 76 is pivoted to an arm 77 fast on the shaft 57, and these. parts are so positioned that in the four positions of this shaft 57 produced by the depression of any one of the said four keys one of these type is brought to the printing position. When the total key is depressed, the bar 60 is not shifted, and the shaft remains stationary, the type 01 will be opposite the'printing position, which is the total character printing type. A hammer 78 is suitably pivoted to strike these type as positioned and is provided with an energlzer 79'controlled by a spring 80 similar to those described. A special trigger 81 is pro- 80 vided to cook the hammer 78, being constructed similar to the triggers described, and mounted on the same shaft 17, whereby this hammer is cocked when other hannners are swung back. When the hammer 78 has been cooked, it is held by a latch 82 that engages an ear 83 on the rear of the hammer to hold it in its cocked position, the latch being swung forward by a spring 84. In the normal operation of the machine by which the hammers are'cocked and then released, this hammer 78 will be cooked to engage the latch 82, that will hold it in the cocked'position and it will not be tripped at this time. To trip this latch, an arm 85 5 is provided fast on a cross shaft 86 that is v secured to the bar 60 at its pivotal connection with the crank 61.

When one of these four keys is depressed, for instance the sub-total key, the bar 60 cannot move rearward, and at the final part ofthe downward swing of the bar 60, the shaft 86 will swing sufliciently to cause the arm 85 to trip the latch and permit the cocked hammer 78 to strike the type in the carrier 76; the. type for this total being normally positioned. But when any of the other keys is depressed, as the key 70, its pin 71 will strike the bar 60 and swing it downward, but the initial movement will not be sufficient to trip the cocked hammer. The bar moving downward will be soon disengaged from the pin 66 and the bar will be instantly drawn rearward by the tension spring 64. This rearward movement of the bar 60 will rock the shaft 57 and shift the carrier 76 to bring the non-add character to printing position. It will be understood that this rearward movement o f-the bar is effected instantaneously before the key 70 has been depressed its full distance, and at the final downward movementof the key the bar will be sufliciently swung to rock the shaft 86 and swing the arm 85, tripping the latch to release the cooked hammer, and the non-add character will print. The same applies to the other two keys 67 and 73, in which case the carrier will be first shifted to bring the proper character to printing position and thereupon the cocked hammer will 130 be tripped. It will be understood that this operation of printing the character is performed instantly upon the depression of any of these keys, and is absolutely independent of the movement of the operating handle and connected parts of the machine. But the operating handle. serves to restore the side bar 60 to the former position, and further tore-cock the-hammer 78 to be ready for the next operation of any of these four keys.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a calculating machine, the combination of a signal key, means for printing a signal, a main operating member, means for causing the signal printing means to be cooked by the movement of the operating member and to remain cocked at the 'conclusion of its normal movement, and means for causing the operation of the said key to efi'ect the actuation of the printing means.

2. In a calculating machine, a signal printing member arranged to print a plurality of signals, a plurality of signal keys, one foreach signal, means connecting the printing member and the keys arranged to cause the depression of any of said keys to to be engage first shift the printing member and to thereupon effect the printing of the signal corresponding to the signal key depressed, a main operating member, and means for causing the operation of said-main operating member to cause the-signal printing means to be set to remain cocked at the conclusionof the movement of such operating member.

35111 a calculating machine, a signal member carrying a set of signal type, a hammer movable in a certain path, a setof signal keys, means connecting the keys and the carrier causing the depression of any of the keys to shift the carrier with the type correspondin to the key depressed brought 5 by the hammer when swung to thereby print, and which carrier is so shifted at the initial movement of the key, a main operating member for the machine, and means connecting the hammer with the operating member arranged to cause the hammer to be cooked by the normal operation of the member and to remain cocked at the end of the movement of such member. 4. In a calculating machine, a signal printing member arranged to print a plurality of signals, a hammer movable 1n a certain fixed path to strike the diflr'erent signals in different positions of the said member to cause them to print, a bar connected with the carrying member and also with the hammer, a-set of keys each arranged to connect with said bar and arranged when depressed to each cause-the carrying member to be set at a difi'erent position, and to thereupon cause the hammer to be operatedto print the signal corresponding to .the key to remain cocked at the end of the movement of such member.

5. In a calculating machine, a. rack and type plate provided with a carrier portion, type in the carrier portion, the plate having a set of recesses corresponding in relative position to the type on the plate, a lock bar movably su ported on the machine to engage the di erent recesses as the said plate is shifted to diflerent printing positions, a.

universal bar arranged to control the movement of all the rack and type plates, means for normally holding said lock bar away from the rack and type plate, and means connected with the lock bar arranged to be engaged by the universal bar when the lat ter has disengaged the rack and type plates, to shift the lock bar to engage the rack and.

type plate at said notches.

6. In a calculating machine, a movable signal carrying member, a set of signal printing type thereon, a hammer movable in a certain path'to strike the typerespec tively in the different positions of the carrying member, a bar supported to move endwise and also to have a lateral movement, said bar being connected with the carrier 'to shift the carrier when moved endwise, means connecting said bar with the hammer whereby the hammer when cocked will be tripped by the swinging of said bar,and a set of keys operatively connected with said bar to swing the bar and to control endwise movement of the bar to swing the carrier to difi'erentpositions accordingto the key depressed.

7. In a .calculating machine, a movable signal carrying member, a set of signal printing type thereon, a hammer movable in a certain path to strike the type respectively in the different positions of the carrying member, a bar supported to move endwise and also to have a lateral movement,

said bar beingconnected with the carrier 7 to shift" the carrier whenmoved endwis e,

' means connecting said'bar with the hammer whereby the hammer when cocked will be Y tripped. by the swinging of said bar, a'set of keys operatively connected with said bar to swingthe bar and tocontrol endwise movement of the bar to swing the carrier to different positions accordin i to the keydepressed, an operating mem er on the machine, and connections between theoperalting member and the hammer arranged to cook the hammer in the the machine. V

8. In a calculating machine, a movable signal carrying member, a set of signal printing type thereon, a hammer movable in normal operation of a certain path to strike the type respectively,

bar being connected with the carrier to shift the carrier when moved endwise, means connecting said bar with the hammer whereby the hammer when cooked will be tripped by the swinging of said, bar, a setof keys operatively connected with said bar to swing the bar and to control endwise movement of the bar to swing the carrier to different positions according" to the key depressed, an operating member in the machine, connections between the operating member and the hammer arranged to cook the hammer in the normal operation of the machine, and means connected with the operating member for returning said bar to normal position.

9. In a calculating machine, a movable signal printing member, a series of signal type on the member, a plurality of signal keys one for each signal, a bar mounted adjacent said keys and arranged to swing, means connecting said bar and the carrier whereby the endwise movement of the car-- rier will shift the type carrying member, a spring connected with the bar for moving it in this direction, an operating memberron the machine, means connecting the operating member with said bar to move the bar against the force of said spring, a stop on each of the keys, an abutment on the bar arranged to engage one stop on said key to retain the bar in normal position against a the force of said spring, the bar having other abutments arranged to engage the stops on the other keys when depressed to thereby release the bar from said stop and key and ermit a'limited endwise movement of the ar by its spring, whereby to position the printing member, and means connecting the bar with said hammer to releasethe hammer when cooked by the swinging of the bar from depression of the keys.

10. In a calculating machine, a movable signal printing member, a series of signal type on the member, a plurality of signal keys one for each signal, a bar mounted adjacent said keys and arranged to swing, means connecting said bar and the carrier whereby the endwise movement of the carrier will shift the type carrying member, a

spring connected with the bar for moving it in this direction, an operating member on the machine, means connecting the operat-' ing member with said bar to move the bar against the force of said spring, a stop on each of the keys, an abutment on the bar arranged to engage one stop on said key to retain the bar in normal position against the force of said spring, the bar having other abutments arranged to engage the stops on the other keys when depressed to thereby release the bar from said stop and key, and permit a limited endwise movement of the bar by its spring whereby to posi, tion the printing member, means connecting the bar with said hammer to release the hammer when cocked by the swinging of the bar from depression of the keys, and means connecting the hammer with said operating member to cause the hammer to be cooked in the normal operation of the operating mem ber.

11. In a calculating machine, the combination of a set of type carriers, a set of hammers arranged to engage the type carriers to print, a set of actuators for the hammers, a set of triggers one for each hammer to cook the hammers, and a bar arranged to retain the triggers out of position of engagement with the hammers.

12. In a calculating machine, the combination of a set of rack and type plates, type carried by the plates, a set of hammers ar ranged to engage the type on the plates, a set of actuating levers for the hammers, a set of triggers for the hammers arranged to trip the hammers when the triggers are moved back and forth, the rack and type plates having means engaging the triggersin the normal position of the plates to prevent engagement between the triggers and the hammers, and a bar arranged to be shifted to engage thetriggers to hold them all away from position of engagement with the hammers.

13. In a calculating machine, a movable signal carrying member, a set of signal type on the member, a hammer movable in a certain path to engage the different type upon shifting of said member, an energizer lever to advance the hammer when cocked, a trigger arranged to engage the hammer to cock the hammer against the force of its energizer lever, an operating member for the machine connected with the trigger to shift the trigger in the normal operation of the member and cook the hammer, a latch arranged to engage the hammer when cocked vto hold the hammer in such position, a set .of signal keys connected with said signal carrying member'to shift the member upon initial movement of the keys to bring different type to a printing position according- Witnesses:

FRED. J. Donn, HAROLD D. PENNEY. 

